Artificial leg



M. A. M INTYRE ARTIFICIAL LEG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 15, 1949 M Y T N c M A L w m M ATTORNEY M. A. M INTYR ARTIFICIAL LEG Oct. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1949 INVENTOR.

EMANUEL A. m lNTYRE ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1951 ARTIFICIAL LEG Manuel A. McIntyre, Napa County, Caliih, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to

Rose K.

McIntyre, San Francisco, Calif.

Application October 15, 1949, Serial No. 121,523 3 Claims. (01. 3-2) This invention relates to improvements in artificial legs.

The present invention provides an improved artificial leg having novel knee and ankle joints which function in a manner permitting the comfortable use of the leg in walking. The artificial leg embodies a novel knee joint having releasable interconnecting toothed means which provides a positive connection between the thigh and lower portions of the leg when the weight of the user is transferred to the artificial leg, thereby making it possible to control the lower portion when certain movements or positions of the leg are assumed. The present invention also provides a novel ankle joint having means for automatically returning the artificial foot to its nor- Y mal position at the end of each step.

' embodying my invention, showing the lowerportiono'f the leg in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed side view of the sets of teeth for connecting the thigh and lower leg portion, showing diagrammatically the relative positions of the sets of teeth when the said portions are relatively separated during the forward movement of the leg when walking;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the sets of teeth in connected relationship;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 6, showing the means for connecting the foot portion and the frame of the lower leg portion;

Fig. 6 is a front view, partly in section, of the means shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings the numeral l designates a shoe, to the inside of which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured a rigid base plate 2 and a resilient pad 2'. Secured to and extending upwardly from the plate are two laterally spaced bearing members 3 having their upper sides formed with grooves which are faced with leather inserts 4. Mounted in the grooves of the bearing members 3 is a transverse pivot pin 5. A metal strap 6 extends over the central portion of the pivot pin 5 and by means of bolts 1 the ends of the said strap are secured to the plate 2. The strap 6 is slightly spaced from the pin 5, thereby permitting the lateral tilting of the pin when unequal pressures are exerted on the opposite ends of the pin. The grooves of the bearing members 3 being open at their upper sides, allow either end of the pin 5 to raise upwardly when, through the lateral shifting of a persons weight from the vertical, a, greater than normal downward pressure is exerted on one end of the pin while an upward pull is applied to the opposite end thereof, as will be later described.

Interposed between the end of the strap 6 and the nuts 8 which engage with bolts 1 are helical compression springs 9 which permit a slight up and down movement of the strap 6. The strap being yieldably mounted on the bolts 1 allows the pin 5 to tilt laterally in either direction. It is to be understood that the pin 5 is normally seated on the bearing members 3, but that it is free to tilt laterally in either direction to permit a limited lateral movement of the foot or shoe portion with respect to the calf portion of the artificial leg.

The opposite ends of the pin 5 extend laterally beyond the outer sides of the bearing members 3, and secured to the said ends of the pin are upwardly disposed substantially parallel side bars l0, each of which preferably comprises two relatively adjustable sections secured together by screws II. The side bars [0 may be lengthened or shortened by means of the screws ll, thereby making it possible to adjust the length of the artificial leg to correspond to the length of the wearer's natural leg. As shown in Fig. 8 one section of each side bar I0 is formed with a longitudinal groove within which a longitudinal protuberance on the other section fits. Drilled and tapped holes may be formed in the connected sections of each bar to secure the jointed sections together by means of the screws 1 l. Secured to and extending between the bars I!) are one or more brace members H which not only maintain the said bars in suitably spaced positions but serve also to support the upper ends of two tension springs l3 and I4. Adjustably secured to the upper brace member l2 are bolts l5 having hooked lower ends to which are connected the upper ends of the tension springs l3 and I4. The tension spring I4 i fastened at its lower end to a hooked pin [6 which is secured to the plate 2 and is positioned forwardly of the pin 5. The forwardly disposed spring l4 exerts an upward pull on the toe portion of the shoe 1, while the rearwardly disposed spring [3 exerts an upward pull on the heel portion of the shoe. The tension of each spring l3 and I4 may be adjusted by me'ans of an adjusting nut I5 engaging with the upper end portion of each bolt [5. The rear spring [3 is preferably somewhat heavier than the forward spring [4 in View of the greater strain imposed thereon in walking. The springs are designed to return the shoe 1 to its normal position as shown in Fig. 1, after its position with respect to the bars ID has been changed in walking. 7

Pivotally connected to the upper end of each of the side bars Is by means of a pivot pin 18 is a metal member [9 towhich is riveted a wide band 2%, of leather or other suitable material the latter being adapted to extend around'the thigh A of the wearer of the artificial leg. Suitable lacing 2! is arranged in the usual manner to securely connect the ends of the bandit] together; A curved rearwardly disposed ofi-set meta=lfimember 22 is secured at its upper and lower ends respectively to each side bar It) and to its associated pivot pin 18. Riveted to the onset member 2-2 is a wide band 23 of leather or other suitable material which normally extends around that portion B of a persons amputated leg beneath the knee joint. Suitable lacin 24 is arranged in the usual manner to secure the ends of the band 23 together. The offset members -22 being positioned rearwardly with respect to the bars lfljhold the band 23 in a slightly inclined'posi'tion, thereby causing'the lower portion B of the wear'ers amputated leg to be held in a comfortable slightly bent position with respect to the thigh portion A. With the amputated leg slightly bent at the knee joint, greater comfort is aflo'r'ded in standing as well as in other postures. The pivot pins l8 are normally positioned opposite the wearers knee joint, thereby avoiding any abnormal pressures on the amputate'd leg when walking.

- The upperends of the-sidebars II! are bifurcated "to provide open slots within which the lower end portions of the metal members [9 are pivot pins 18 are secured to the upper ends of the side bars ID and the said pins slidably extend throughlongitudinal slots 21 located in the lower end portions of the metal members [9. A slidable block 28 overlies each pin [8 and a somewhat fiat compression spring 29 engaging with each block urges the latter downwardly. \Vhen the person wearing the artificial leg rests his weight on the metal members 25 as in walking, the'upper arcuate sets of teeth 25 are carried downwardly into meshing engagement with the teeth 23 of the side ba'rs Ill, thereby causing the thigh and lower leg portions to become rigidly connected. When so connected these two portions of the leg pivot about the pivot pin 5 when the wearer shifts his 'body forwardly in taking a step with his natural leg. The compression springs '29 are compressed as the weight or the wearer of the artificial leg is shifted to the said artificial leg, thereby taking up the jar as the arcuate set of teeth '25 come into engagement with the lower teeth 26. As the wearer of the artificial leg shifts his amputated leg upwardly the arcuate set of teeth 25 are lifted from engagement with the lower set of teeth 25 and the thigh and lower portions are thereupon disconnected.

Suitable cover plates 30 secured to the metal members 19 are arranged to extendover a portion of the slots 2'! and maintain the compression springs 2 9 in place. 7

What I claim is:

-1. An artificial leg for below the knee amputations comprising a shoe, a plate secured to the shoe-having a pair of upstanding bearing mem- 'bers -secured thereto, a pivot pin mounted on the bearing members, a pair of upstanding side bars secured 'to the opposite ends of the pivot pin, a pair of side members pivotally connected by knee pins to the upper ends of the side bars, a band'secured to the side members for extending around the thigh of the wearer-ofthe artificial leg, rearwardly disposed offset members-secured at" their "lower endsto the sidebars and at their upper ends to the knee pins, and a band secured to the offset members for extending around "the below-the knee portion of the 'wearers amputated leg, the said last mentioned band being normally "arranged in an inclined position.

2. In an artificial leg, a base plate, side bars pivotally connected to the plate at their lower.

ends; the said side bars havin sets of teeth on their upper ends, side members pivotally connected to'the upper ends of the side bars and arranged for up and down movement with respect to the side bars, the said side members having sets of teeth on their lower ends for meshing with the teeth of the side "bars; the teeth of the said sidebars and side members being arranged to mesh with one another when the side memhere are moved downwardly by the weight of a erson wearing the artificial leg, and means for a'ttaching'the side members to a persons ampuf tate'd leg.

'3. In an artificial leg, a plate attached to a shoeor'foit member, a pivot pin mounted'on the plate, a pair of upWardly extending side bars connected at their lower ends to the ends of the pivot pin, a set of arcuate teeth on the upper ends of the side bars, knee pins secured to the upper ends of the side bar's, side mem'bershaving longitudinal slots through which the knee pins movably extend, the side members being arranged for up and down movement with respect to the sidebars and also for pivotal movement about the knee .pins, a set of arcuate teeth carried on the lower end of each ofthe side members, the teeth of the side'm'embers beingjadapted to mesh with the teeth of the side bars when the side members are moved 'downwardly toward the side bars; and a band secured 'to "the side'members "for attaching the artificial leg to the amputate'd leg of 'thewea'rer.

MANUEL A. MC'ILNTYREE.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

